Preloaded injector with rotatable member for storing and injecting hydrophobic intra ocular lenses

Abstract

A preloaded injector for storing and injecting hydrophobic intra ocular lenses (IOL) comprises a plunger (2), an injector body (12), an adapter (16), a rotatable member (18), a cartridge (20) with a nozzle tube (22) and a stopper (26). The rotatable member (18) is provided around the cartridge (20) for setting the cartridge (20) from an open position to a closed position. The rotatable member (18) is furnished with a portion interfering with a portion of the stopper (26) keeping the stopper (26) irremovable in its first position but releasing the stopper (26) in its second position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A preloaded injector for storing and injecting hydrophobic intra ocular lenses, IOL, comprising
 a) an injector body accommodating a plunger placed within the injector body, 
 b) a cartridge with a nozzle tube attached to the injector body, and furnished with a winglet having an open and a closed position, holding the IOL in a released state in case of the open position and holding the IOL in a folded position in case of the closed position, 
 c) a stopper received into a hole defined by the injector body and preventing the plunger from reciprocating in the injector body and from entering the cartridge prior to injecting, 
 characterized in that, a lower portion of the stopper can be plugged into a hole of the injector body through an adapter provided between the cartridge and a rotatable member, 
 the rotatable member is provided around the cartridge, the rotatable member having a first position and a second position, where the rotatable member rotates about a longitudinal axis of the rotatable member from the first position to the second position to cause the IOL to fold into the folded position, 
 the winglet of the cartridge is set from the open position to the closed position, when the rotatable member is rotated from the first position to the second position, and 
 the rotatable member is furnished with a portion interfering with a portion of the stopper keeping the stopper immobilized when the rotatable member is in its first position but releasing the stopper when the rotatable member is in its second position, and the adapter and the rotatable member are removable from the injector in the closed position of the winglet. 
 
     
     
       2. The preloaded injector of  claim 1 , characterized in that,
 the adapter is furnished with rails both for connection to the injector body and to the rotatable member. 
 
     
     
       3. The preloaded injector of  claim 2 , characterized in that,
 the rail to the injector body is a groove fitting to a feather on the injector body longitudinal to the axis of the injector. 
 
     
     
       4. The preloaded injector of  claim 2 , characterized in that,
 the rail to the rotatable member is a ring shaped stop-shoulder around the outer surface of the adapter. 
 
     
     
       5. The preloaded injector of  claim 1 , characterized in that,
 the interfering portion of the rotatable member is implemented as a recess at an edge of the rotatable member, 
 the interfering portion of the stopper is implemented as a protrusion on the leg of the stopper, and 
 the recess on the edge of the rotatable member is positioned just above the protrusion of the stopper when turning the rotatable member to its second position.